jiM and Mike had such good email conversations about Michigan Football, etc., they decided to make a blog so everyone can enjoy them.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

10 year anniversary of Crappy Softball

On May 3, 2001 - the miracle known as Crappy Softball first took the field. Expecting to lose every game, we somehow managed to split the opening double-header. Other than that (and 2 forfeits) we did not win another game in the spring season.

But winning games was never the primary goal. My initial recruitment e-mail specifically asked for people who never played the game. I implied getting to fly-balls before they stopped rolling would be considered a victory.

We played 8 seasons (2 seasons a year for 4 years). Pfizer got very little work from me on Fridays over the course of those seasons. I spent the majority of my day-after-the-game updating the stats and record book for the Fighting Crappies.

For our 100th game we even created a commemorative t-shirt containing the name of every player who had ever taken the field for the squad.

Memorable highlights include:

Chris Joseph complaining to Hoot about the "dead frog" in the outfield.

Joe Moonsammy and his cricket throws from the outfield (he never bent his elbow...)

The batter order was determined by order of arrival at the field.

Somehow we managed to pull of a triple play - on a ground ball not some freak line drive. I successfully let the first two batters get on base then the 3rd batter hit a two hopper right to Joe Welch at short. he tagged the lead runner, stepped on the bag and threw for first to complete the miracle.

Hoot catching her first fly ball (we got the batter to sign the ball)

Missing my first games due to taking a practice throw inches from my temple. Hoot, driving a stick shift for one of the first times, managed to get me to the ER before I lost too much blood... I think Scott Ciarkowski lead us to a split in the games.

We had 2 players get called out for being out of the batters box - there was no lines ever painted. I think I almost got ejected for complaining about the second call. I kept asking the ump to show me where my batter stood and he couldn't/wouldn't...

We almost got no-hit in a game. The ump knew it was a no-hitter because he even called Chris Ridella out for bunting. He didn't completely follow through, but the ball went to the outfield on the fly, how is that a bunt? We eventually got a hit - out of spite!

Thorsten injured the umpire's ankle on a swing follow through. Somehow we managed to get a co-workers husband as the ump for the rest of the game. I think we won when on a called 3rd strike...

Stimpy runs the bases night!

I'm sure other players would add different memories (and I welcome them to do so in the comments)

We finally ran out of steam, it got too difficult to make sure we had enough players to not forfeit (an inherent problem with a team built on not caring). And I felt the most important thing was that we never forfeit a game.

I'd happily take the field again, I miss playing - I don't miss running the team...